1. Brief Description of the Invention
The present invention relates to concentrated cleaning compositions in general, and in particular compositions formulated as petroleum degreasers, hand soaps and bathroom cleaners, which may be increased in viscosity upon dilution with water without the use of desolubilizer compounds.
2. Related Art
In assignee's copending application Ser. No. 08/039,632, filed March 30, 1993, entitled "Multi-Surface Cleaning Compositions and Method of Use", now abandoned, which was continued as Ser. No. 08/327,481 filed Oct. 21, 1994 now abandoned, which was continued as Ser. No. 08/587,246 filed Jan. 16, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,710, there is disclosed and claimed cleaning compositions which will effectively remove greasy residues while not leaving significant streaks on a hard surface, and which preferably can be used on surfaces other than hard surfaces, such as carpet, furniture, and the like. The '632 application focuses on the surprising discovery that specific compounds having surfactant function, particularly amine oxides and quaternary amine salts, when combined with a very slightly water-soluble polar organic compound, had a surprising synergistic effect in removal of grease. In addition when a third ingredient, comprising an effective amount of a water-soluble glycol ether or alcohol, was added, the compositions were substantially non-streaking on hard surfaces. Further, the compositions were useful in removing food residues from carpet and upholstery, and are thus termed "non-streaking multi-surface" cleaning compositions.
In certain cleaning applications, it is desired to formulate premix concentrates which are relatively non-viscous for ease of packaging and dispensing, but which are capable of "thickening" (substantially increasing in viscosity) over a large range of water dilutions when ready to use. For example, users frequently desire to clean non-horizontal surfaces, such as walls, and do not wish the cleaner to run off prematurely.
There have been disclosed various additives which allow thickening of cationic surfactant compositions such as those described in the '632 application. Colloidal compounds, such as colloidal magnesium aluminum silicate, may be used for such purposes, as well as various polysaccharides. Various electrolytes, such as sodium chloride, will also allow thickening. Cationic surfactant compositions themselves exhibit an increase in viscosity as the concentration of cationic surfactant increases. At high concentrations (typically greater than 20 weight percent, sometimes greater than 50 weight percent) the shape of micelles changes from spherical to rod shape. The high concentrations of cationic surfactant required to achieve this, however, are impractical in ready to use cleaner formulations. To address this problem, additive compounds typically described as "desolubilizers" may be added which shift the viscosity-increase toward lower concentrations of surfactant. Desolubilizers are typically organic anionic sulfonates, such as cumene, xylene, and toluene sulfonates, in their acid or salt forms, and certain hydrophobically modified polymer surfactants.
With the technical advances in proportioners and other mechanical liquid dispensing systems, it would be an advance in the art to have cleaning concentrates which are low viscosity, easily pumpable or easily gravity feedable, which, when diluted, form a viscous ready-to-use composition which, for example, will readily cling to non-horizontal surfaces.